DI's methodology only accounts for phone votes placed through the DI software. The setup to use DI is quite unusual now (see below), but back in the beginning, when texting wasn't an option, DI extrapolated the results from the measured busy signals and was fairly accurate.

If you look at the raw numbers table, it does show that Micheal and Aaron had the lowest totals of phone votes among users of DI software. VfTW addicts are more likely to use the DI software, thereby explaining Casey's numbers.

These are the requirements to use DI.
# Windows ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7 (Run as administrator may be required)
# Internet Explorer v5.5 or higher
# Microsoft .NET Framework v2.0 (a free download from Microsoft)
# Internet connection (high speed preferred)
# Modem with an active phone line *or* Skype (You need an "old fashioned" phone modem to dial & vote. If you have a cable/DSL modem you still need a phone modem. Phone modems are quite common and still very cheap.)

Hasn't it come out YET? Feels like I've been seeing the commercials for years and years.

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It will probably be a gag-fest. However, I saw the promo at the movies (a few months ago, so, yeah it's been coming for a loooong time) and the Italian scenery is really the star. I would go to see it just because Verona and the other areas of Italy in the film are stunningly beautiful. Maybe I can get the theater to turn off the sound for me .

I think it was Aaron, not Casey, who was getting the tween vote. It's not surprising that people voted for Casey. At this stage of the competition, most people don't vote on one performance. Lee had one of the worst vocals last week and wasn't in the bottom three. I don't think Casey's fans care at all if he can't sing Frank Sinatra's songs well or gets more nervous without his guitar. Plus, his fans knew he was in trouble and voted accordingly. Often, when the judges want a particular contestant to go, they push it too far with their comments and get backlash votes for their contestants. I'm sure there were some Casey fans who though Kara and Simon were too mean to Casey the other night.

And, yeah, Casey did well in the interview portion of the pageant this week and always brings the pretty. (I do think, though, that sometimes people don't give Casey enough credit for his performances and just write him off as a pretty face.)

ETA: The list of song choices for next week isn't that big and it's loaded with cheese and bad choices. Who is going to sing Footlose? I'm sure someone will sing Iris.

Lee had one of the worst vocals last week and wasn't in the bottom three.

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Agree with the rest of your post, but I thought Still the One was pretty good. Nobody was terrible last week but I'd say Lee held his own. Personally I thought Aaron and Siobhan (until the very end of her song) were the worst last week although many others loved Aaron.

With the exception of the Simple Minds song, that is one craptacular list of songs. Danger Zone?

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I know. I feel bad for the contestants having to choose one. Mike shouldn't have a problem. There are plenty of cheesy love songs for him to choose from. I could see him singing "A Kiss From a Rose" with acoustic guitar.

I don't think Casey will do "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman" because he already did a Bryan Adams song. But, he might not have many other options. Similarly, I don't think Lee will want to do another S&G song with Mrs. Robinson. I'm guessing one of them will do Iris.

I guess I could see Crystal doing something like the Patty Griffin arrangement of "Moon River," but the judges probably wouldn't like it. I doubt she's thrilled with this list. She might be the one who ends up doing "Aquarius."

Agree with the rest of your post, but I thought Still the One was pretty good. Nobody was terrible last week but I'd say Lee held his own. Personally I thought Aaron and Siobhan (until the very end of her song) were the worst last week although many others loved Aaron.

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I much prefer Lee to Aaron, but I think Aaron outsang him last week. Aaron was the only one predicted to be safe by DialIdol. But, obviously perceptions vary. I thought last week was one of Lee's worst weeks and that he belonged in the bottom three.

So clearly we will get some craptacular duets with all the duets in the song list. I don't know who I would prefer Crystal be teamed up with. Mike has the best vocals but seemingly a lower fan base. Lee is popular but wouldn't mesh well with her. Casey...just no.

So clearly we will get some craptacular duets with all the duets in the song list. I don't know who I would prefer Crystal be teamed up with. Mike has the best vocals but seemingly a lower fan base. Lee is popular but wouldn't mesh well with her. Casey...just no.

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Are they going to pair them up deliberately or just pull names out of a hat?

And add me to the list of folks who don't "get" Lee. Adam Lambert nailed it a couple of weeks ago; Lee's face is so blank, "nothing going on" there....

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If that's what you think of Lee then what do you think of Casey? Casey could be singing for himself in a mirror, a group of 10, a crowd of 500 or a stadium of thousands and he would have the same exact look on his face!

Not a big Casey fan, but he occasionally has a twinkle in his eye or something. Plus he gets criticism from the judges, while Lee is routinely overpraised and generally treated as the second coming of David Cook for reasons that are far beyond my comprehension!

They both have crap stage presence and facial expressions. But, I do think Casey at least has a semblance of a personality in both his singing and interviews. I just think that Lee has a nicer tone in his voice. I think that Casey lets his nerves get to him more, but even when he's singing his best, Lee's best sounds better to me in terms of tone. But, in terms of overall performing style (not just tone), yeah, I'd take Casey.

I think the overpraise for Lee is because they know they are signing two people to recording deals and they view Lee as having the best recording voice, along with Crystal, and they're probably right. But, if I had to choose which one to see in concert -- Lee or Casey -- I'd probably choose Casey. I prefer his singing style, song choices, guitar playing, and stage presence. And I suspect that he'd be more fun if he weren't being judged.

They both have crap stage presence and facial expressions. But, I do think Casey at least has a semblance of a personality in both his singing and interviews. I just think that Lee has a nicer tone in his voice. I think that Casey lets his nerves get to him more, but even when he's singing his best, Lee's best sounds better to me in terms of tone. But, in terms of overall performing style (not just tone), yeah, I'd take Casey.

I think the overpraise for Lee is because they know they are signing two people to recording deals and they view Lee as having the best recording voice, along with Crystal, and they're probably right. But, if I had to choose which one to see in concert -- Lee or Casey -- I'd probably choose Casey. I prefer his singing style, song choices, guitar playing, and stage presence. And I suspect that he'd be more fun if he weren't being judged.

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I also think that Casey will sing songs that are less dependent on perfect tone. There are several rock singers who really don't have great voices, but with the right material (and studio ) sound great. Casey has the personality to pull it off, I don't know if Lee does. I actually thought that Lee's voice is more suited to standards than the rock he tries to sing. I also think that of the three (Crystal, Lee, & Casey) Lee will be the most manipulatable. He will go for the whole Idol will create him shtick.

I still think Crystal has the best voice of the bunch and knows her style and audience. It will really be a shame if she doesn't win. Whether or not Idol will try to change her, and make her sing the gag - coronation song, she is a pretty strong personality and will stay true to her style (I thing anyway).

Seriously though, each year, the ratings for the vast majority of network TV shows decline as more cable channels become available and viewership spreads out.

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The decline is steeper this year, and it's the first season that Idol hasn't always won its time slot. But, I think Idol will be around for a long time. Even if it fell out of the top ten shows, it still could be a huge source of profits. But, I do think they can do things to improve ratings. I don't think the ratings decline is simply due to more cable channels.

I still think Crystal has the best voice of the bunch and knows her style and audience. It will really be a shame if she doesn't win. Whether or not Idol will try to change her, and make her sing the gag - coronation song, she is a pretty strong personality and will stay true to her style (I thing anyway).

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I agree that Crystal has the best voice of the bunch and the strongest musical identity. But, if she is one of the top two, she's signed by 19R and doesn't get artistic control. (Brian, I may be wrong, but I think the top 12 contracts that are voidable by 19 are management contracts, not recording contracts. At least, that used to be the way it was.) So if they decide that they want her to sing something they consider to be more current, then that's what will happen. They've done it before with winners like Ruben, but I suspect that they won't change Crystal too radically and that she'll certainly do her best to convince them to let her stay true to her style. At least, that's what I'm hoping. She'll be signed by someone even if she doesn't end up in the top two.

She'll be signed by someone even if she doesn't end up in the top two.

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Yes, and it may be that she'll be better off not winning. But, I would hate to see the best person not win. I do think that of all of the Idol contestants Crystal seems to have the strongest personality. And I am really impressed with the way she politely challenges some of the judges comments. Not saying they're wrong, but offering her reasons, for doing what she did, in a respectful way.